Indicator.



J. M.' JDHNSON.

INDICATOR. APPLICATION '-HLED ocT. 1. 191s. RENEwEn JAN. 22.1918.

Pateted June 4, 1918.

the art to which tion of the vehicle ciently indicate the directionvided reflector mirror in such a facturcd and onirica.

JOSEPH M. JOHNSON, OF READING,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 SAMUEL S. JOHNSON, OF HARRISBURG,PENNSYLV INDICATOR.

I Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 4, 191%.

Application led October 7, 1915, Serial No. 54,637. Renewed January 22,1918-. Serial No. 213,270.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOSEPH M. JOHNSON, a citizen of ther-United States,residing at Reading, in the countg;T of Berks and State of 5 Pennslvania have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Indicators;and I dc hereby declare full, clear, and exact description vention, suchas will enable others skilled in it appertains to make and use the same.i

This invention relates to indicators and more particularly to indicatorsfor vehicles,

Y preferably automobiles, and one of the'ob- 15 jects of this inventionis the provision of an indicator which can be readily attached to thewind shield of an automobile, the dash board of a vehicle, or othersuit-able point upon" thc vehicles for indicating the direcespeciallywhen turning around street corners, forks of a road, and the like.

Another` object of this invention is the provision of an indicator whichwill eiliof the vehicle during the day as well as during the night.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an indicator Whichis not only clearly visible 'during the da but is p rowith di'erentshades of lglass and means for illuminating the'indicator forindica-ting the direction of the vehicle at night. '.Another object ofthis i vention is the provision lof, an\indicator combined with a mannerthat the indicator may be readily operated by the 4operator of thevehicle" or machine and in accordance with .the location and position of\the object or, objects disclosed by the re- '40 cctor mirror.

Another object of this invention is the 'provision of an indicatorcombined with a reflector mirror which is simple in construction,ellicient in use, and which can be manusold upon the market at a nominalcost. Otherobjccts and advantages will be hereinafter more clearly setforth in the specifcation, dened in the claims, and illustrated in. theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device showingthe manner of mounting the same and the interior construction thereof.

the following to be a,4 of the 1n 'otally Fig. 2 is a bottom plan viewof the device and its support4 Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse sectionalview on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 4-4 of. Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

While the invention, for the sake of clearness and convenience, will behereinafter described as applied to the wind shield of an automobile7 itis to be understood that the invention is equally applicable forattachnlnt upon vehicles, bicycles, boats, and the Referring to thedrawings, wherein like reference characters denote ,corresponding partsthroughout the several views, l denotes a cross sectional view of aportion of the frame of a wind shield, and 2 the supporting arm securedframe 1 through the medium of thepair of gripping fingers 3 secured uponone end of the supporting arm 2 through the medium of the bolt 4, andprovided with the binding bolt 5. Secured upon the outer end of thesupporting arm 2 is the enlarged portion of the sleeve G, the sleeve 6being formed with ythe upwardly projecting reduced portion 7 havingthreaded upon its upper end the nut Secured upon the reduced portion 7and adjacent the enlarged portion 6 of the sleeve, is the disk or wheel9 having formed in its periphery the notches 10, preferably six innumber. Pivotally projecting through the enlarged portion 6 and thereduced portion f the sleeve is the stem 11 provided with the curvedupper end 12, upon which is pivmounted, as at 13, therelector mirror 14.

, The indicator consists of a casing or housing formed preferably in theshape of an arrow, and comprises the upper plate 15 Aprovided at itssides with the right angular fianges 16, and the lower plate 17 providedat its sides with the right'angular anges 1S. The central portions ofthe plates 15 and 17 are parallel to each other to form the body of thearrow, but their rear end portions are bent to diverge or branchoutwardly from each `iothcr to provide the tail ofthe arrow,

while the forward ends of the plates 15 andv 7 are first bent to divergeor extend outwardly from cach other for a distance, and then bent so asto converge or extend inmit wardly toward each other until their entremeforward ends meet to form the apex or point of the arrow head thusformed. The convergin portions ofthe plates 15 and l17 forming t ieloint of the arrow head are cut away from t eir forward ends for a.considerable width and extendV for a considerable distance inwardly toform the slot or opening 19 in the plate 15, and the slot or opening 20in the plate 17. The forward ends of the plates 15 and 17 at each sideof the slots or openings 19 and 20 are secured together by the clips 21and the screws 22. Theends of the diverging portions of the plates .'15.and 17, forming they tail 'of the arrow, are 1nclosed and connectedtogether by the rear plate 23, provided with the side flanges y24, thetop flange 25 and the bottom flange 26, the end of the plate 15 beingsecured to the top flange 25 .of the rear plate 23 by the screw 27,while the rear end of the plate 17 is secured to thebottom flange 26 ofthe plate 23 by the screw 28. Centrally secured to the rear plate 23 ofthe indicator 1s the operating knob or handle 29.

Positioned centrally 'wihin the indicator is a supporting frame,consisting of the base plate 30, provided at itsl forward end with theupstanding plate 31 having the central aperture 32 formed therein, andthe rear upstanding plate 33 having the central aperture 34 formedtherein. The base plate 30 of the supporting :trame rests upon the innersurface of the 'lower plate 17 of the indicator, and its upstanding endplates 31 and 33 extend upwardly to the inner surface of the upper plate15 of the indicator. The base plate 30 of the supporting frame and itsupstanding plates 31 and 33 are of a Width slightly less than'thedistance between the flanges 16 of the upper plate 15 of the indicatorand the distance betwen the flanges -18 ofthe lower plate 17 of theindicator,

the side edges of the upstanding plates 31 and 33 of the supportingframe are cut away to provide the enlarged recesses 35, as clearly shownin Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Suitably secured in the aperture 32 of the upstanding plate 31 of thesupporting frame is the electricv light socket 36, provided with thebulb 37, and connected to the socket 36 vis the incoming wire 38, whichpasses ,through one of the recesses 35 of the plate 31 and through theaperture 39 formed in the lower plate 17' of the indicator, and alsoconnected to the socket 36 is the return wire 40, which passes from thesocket 36 through one of the recesses 35 ot the plate 33 and thencethrough the aperture 41 also formed in the lower plate 17 of theindicator. The electric light socket 36 projects forwardly from theupstanding plate 31 ot the sup-` porting frame, so that its bulb 37 willbe positioned well into that portion of the invdicator which constitutesthe arrow head.

mea-iet The connecting wires 38 and 40 of the lamp may be connected toany ysuitable source of ings 19 and 20, are the translucent members 43.The translucent members 42 have their rear end portions retained againstthe flanges 16 and 18 of the plat/es 15 and 17, through the medium ofthe upper transversely disposed block 44, secured upon the inner sur:tace of the plate 15 by the screw 45, and

the lower transversely disposed block 46 secured upon the inner side ofthe plate 17 by the screw 47. 'llhe forward end portions of' thetranslucent members 42 are retained against the Iflanges 16 and 18 ofthe plates 15 and 17 by the side edges of the base plate 30 of thesupporting frame within the indicator, and the portions ott the sideedges of the upstanding plates 31 and 33 at each side of the recesses35. members 43 are retained in the forward ends of the plates 15 and 17of the indicator for covering the respective openings 19 and 20, by themeeting of the forward ends of the translucent members 43 at they apexor point of the portion constituting the arrow head, the rear end of theupper member 43 retained in 'position by the upper transversely disposedblock 48 secured against the under side ofthe plate 15 by the screw 49,and the rear edge of the lower member 43 being retained in positionthrough the medium of the lower transversely d'sposed block 50, securedagainst they inner surface ofthe plate 17 by the screw 51.

Positioned between that portion of the plates 15 and 17 whichconstitutes the arrow head, and bearing against the flanges 16 and 13 ofthe plates 15 and' 17, are the trans lucent members 52, retained inposition against the flanges 16 and 18 oi: the plates 15 and 17 by thesde'- edges of the translucent members 43 and the transversely disposedblocls 48 and 50.

For rotatably mounting the indicator upon the reduced portion 7 of thesleeve the upper plate 15 of the indicator is provided with thecentrally disposed aperture 53, the

base plate 30 of the interior supportingl The translucent' incensesleeve by the nut 8, the under surface of the lower plate l7 oit theindicator' bearing upon the disk or notched Wheel 9, and for retainingthe indicator in'its adjusted rotatable positions the spring 56 isprovided. The spring 56 is wrung or twisted remote from one oit its endsto provide the baser member 57, disposed at right. angles tothe spring56, and secured upon the under side of the plate 17 by the screw 28 andthe addin tional securing screw 58. The free end of the spring 56 beingprovided with the concave-convex lip or lug 59, adapted to spring intocertain or wheel 9 for retaining the indicator in its respectiveadjusted positions.

The metallicparts of the indicator are preferably formed of any suitablehighly polished or bright metal so as to be readily discernible in theday time. The translucent members 42 and 43 may be `formerl of anysuitable translucent material'and color, but Itv preferably form thesemembers 42 and 43 of green glass. The translucent members 52 may bealso'tormed af any suitable translucentmaterial and color, but lpreferably form these members 52 of red glass.

The application and operation off the de vice is briey described asfollows Thedevice is attached to the wind shield, when used uponautomobiles, at the side nearest the operator of the vehicle so as to bewithin easy reach, and by indicator in the shape of an arrow thedirection of the vehicle may be readily deternined in the day time bythe pointin of the arrow, for instance, if the vehic e is drivingstraight ahead, the indicator' assumes the position at right angles tothe supporting arm 2, as shown in Figs. 1 andV 2, and therefore pointsstraight ahead.. Should it be desired to turn either to the right orleft, the operator will grasp the knob 29 and swing the indicator in amanner so that the head of the arrow will either point to the right orleft, describing an arc as shown by the arrow line 60. This swingingmovement of the indicator will lili cause the end 59 of the spring 56 tobe automatically released from one of the notches l0 of the disk orlwheel 9, the wheel 9 being nonrotatable, whereby the indicator may 'heswung to the desired position, or until the end 59 of the spring 56engages another ot' the notches '10 in the wheel 9, thereby retainingthe indicator` in the desired adjusted position, after which, when theturn has been completed, the operator returns the indicator to itsnormal straight position.

Vhcn using the indicator at night, a suitable switch in the lamp circuitis closed and the bulb 37 thereby lighted, and when the vehicle is goingstraight ahead and the 'indicator in normal position, the light from ofthe notches 10 of the disk forming' the said sieeve,

the bulb 37 will pass through the green translucent members 43 therebyindicating that the vehicle is traveling in a straight course. However,should it be desired to turn to the right or left, the operatormanipulates the indicator in the manner before described, whereby thelight from the bulb 37 vwill pass through the'red translucent members 52in the head of the arrow, and the light from the bulb 37 will also passthrough the recesses 35 of the upstanding members 3l and 33 of theinterior supporting trame, vand thereby shine through the greentranslucent members 42 in the sides of the body portion and the teil ofthe arrow, either in front or the rear Will be warned of the directionin which the vehicle is to turn, the red translucent members 52 clearlyoutlined the head of the arrow, and the green translucent members 4:2clearly outlinin the body portion and tail ot the arrow. `lter theturning movement has been completed the indicator is returned to itsstraight normal position as above described, whereby the rays from thebulb 37 will shine through the green translucent members 43 in thepointed end or' the arrow for indication to the approaching vehiclesfrom the front that the vehicle is assuming a straight course,

and at the same time the rays from the bulb 87 shining through the redtranslucent members 52 and the green translucent members 42, will warnvehicles approaching at right' angles when traveling along intersectingstreets or thoroughfarces, the direction that the vehicle carrying theindicator is travellng.

Another advantageous feature of this invention is the mounting of theindicator and the reflector mirror upon the same support and inclose-proximity to enablingl the operator of the automobile or othervehicle to readily detect the approach of vehicles from the rear, and atthe same time to readily view the position or positioning of theindicator, and thus be able to concentrate his sight upon one point andnot be required to have to look in the reflector mirror at one point andthen in another direction to view the indicator.

Vvhile l have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, minor variatipns and alterations may be made therein fromtime to time without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope oit the claim.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secureby lietters-Putent, is

comprising a support, a supporting sleeve carried by one end of saidsupport, a translucent indicator arm rotatably mounted on each other,thusv a U shaped bracket arranged Mtl Zilli 1215 An indicator device ofthe class described,

a recense Within the indicator arm and rotatably mounted on said sleeve,the arms of said bracket lceinggI each apertured and disposedtransversely ofthe indicator arm, the vertical side edge being cut awayto provide light emitting openings, illuminating means attached to andin the aperture of one of said bracket arms and projecting Within oneend of the indicator arm, the light thereof radiating through betweensaid bracket arms andthe sides of the indicator arms to the opposit@ end0f the indicator arm, and means carried by the supporting sleeve adaptedto coperate with the indicator arm to hold the said indicator arm' inadjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH M. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

JOHN K. HAHN, B. W. Hon/IAN.

